A prism is a transformative object that takes a steady stream of white light and refracts it into its constituent spectral colors. Like magic, the white light is scattered into the colors of the rainbow, showing us the light's inner being and true form.

With the determination of a quarterback driving his team down the field in the final two minutes, the charming and versatile front man of Cold War Kids Nathan Willett plays to win, either through his voice or various instruments (piano, guitar, keyboards, percussion).

With roots in prog and indie rock, Seattle-based four-piece band Gumshen has been striving to create a truly one of a kind sound. They have achieved their goal by elegantly swan diving into the world of EDM and electronica.

There's a bit of a personal struggle in the songs of Mackenzie Scott, the Brooklyn-based musician known as TORRES. A voice that's inner being is fighting the ills of denial and isolation while trying to not get caught up in the intoxicating realities of life.

When truly authentic music is created, it does not go unnoticed. Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, gypsy-soul duo Lovesucker is invigorating the music world with their emotive musicianship and strong female vocals.

In this column, I return to the source of that first traumatic blow to my indie credibility, Brooklyn Vegan, in search of bands I have never heard of and know nothing about. I will make guesses about who they are and what they sound like armed only with the knowledge of their names and my own stockpile of dated and misguided associations.

Reminiscent of Violent Femmes and Social Distortion, with a little Johnny Cash thrown in for good measure, Take Out The Trash is an eargasm of blues, folk and punk, with soul-wrenching lyrics that remind us of the days when the meaning behind the music actually mattered.

Brill Bruisers sounds broad and warm, wrapping from ear to ear and giving shine to 13 songs that experiment with new sounds and instruments -- some of which are jarringly unfamiliar even after several listens.

When they decided to deliver a new album on a bottle of beer, Telegraph Brewing Company and the indie group, Buellton, gave new meaning to one-stop shopping. The world of beer and music is the better for it.

Happily, L.A.'s locally grown music scene is as vibrant and diverse as ever with a slew of recent independent E.P.s and L.P.s so fresh and creative, they deserve your love and attention -- and airplay (KCRW and KCSN are you listening?).

"It wouldn't be the first time we thought something was funny that no one else thought was funny," Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler consoled the audience that came to see the band play Friday night in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.